LANCASHIRE’S top detective has left for London to police the country’s forces.

Detective Chief Superintendent Neil Hunter has been seconded to Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary where he will assess protective services, homicide, serious and organised crime, intelligence, terrorism and covert polic- ing in forces across the country.

Mr Hunter could be parachuted to any area in the country to review their investigations. His security clearance was granted sooner than expected and he was asked to start his new job this week.

Mr Hunter, 50, said he leaves with a ‘heavy heart’ but was relishing the challenge. He has worked on high-profile cases such as Sophie Lancaster’s murder investigation and his most challenging cases included the Alan Lee Street murder in Padiham where officers discovered a bloodstained house, the Paul Brady bodiless murder and Adam Rogers, the one-punch manslaughter in Blackburn.

Mr Hunter said: “I have worked 15 years in homicide and I’m definitely relishing a new challenge.The last four to five years have been very demanding but massively rewarding finding and getting justice for families.

He joined Lancashire police in 1980 and was based in Accrington. After five years he moved to CID covering Accrington and Rossendale as a Detective Constable. He then moved back to the role of uniformed officer, where he became a sergeant before being promoted to Detective Sergeant in 1990 covering Great Harwood, Accrington and Blackburn.

After a decade he was again promoted to Detective Inspector in Blackburn and moved into FMIT in 2005.